Hugs for Hire
by sitabethel
Summary: Ryou hires a professional cuddler for a snuggle date, but is shocked when he sees who the agency sends.


*****Normally not posting new fics here, but I think I got the prompt from here? So making an exception. Need..**.**to finish..**.**Only Human... I mean, it's finished on ao3, I **just **hate posting anything here so I haven't uploaded the chapters here yet*****

**Prompt: "Hello, if you're still taking prompts for the cotton candy stand I'd like to request a deathshipping au where Kek (or whatever name you decide) is a professional cuddler and Ryo is his client ^^"**

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Ryou fluffed the throw cushions for the tenth time in the last twenty minutes. He rearranged the lavender minky blanket he'd brought out for the occasion. Ryou checked his cellphone for the seventh time. Five more minutes before the worker from the Soineya Agency was scheduled to arrive. He'd bought a two hour nap from the professional cuddling service for just under 16,000 yen.

The doorbell echoed through the living room and Ryou jumped. He brushed his hair behind his ears, and wiped his palms on his pants before rushing toward the door. His hair fell back into his face as he moved, and he had to brush it out of the way again.

"Hello, my name is—" Ryou's mouth dropped open and he stepped backward when he saw Malik.

But it wasn't quite Malik. His hair stood in tall, blonde peaks; his chest was broader, and his eyes were a plum color instead of lilac. Ryou had only heard about Malik's dark personality from his friends, but he immediately recognized him standing in the doorway.

"W-wait." The other Malik held out his hands.

"I don't know why you're here, but you'd better stay away from my friends!" Ryou picked up a gargoyle statue he kept on one of his display shelves and hurled it at the dark entity's head.

"Shit!" He dropped face-first to the floor to dodge the gargoyle. It shattered on the opposite wall, caving in the drywall. "Wait!"

"I'm serious!" Ryou grabbed a diecast Dark Outlander figurine he'd made, ready to send it crashing into the spiky, blonde skull.

"You're my two-o-clock!" He shouted from the floor.

"Two-o-clock what? Murder appointment?"

"I'm from Soineya!"

"Wh-what?" Ryou dropped the Dark Outlander.

"You told the receptionist over the phone that you'd accept any agent, and since I'm new—they assigned me."

"I…" Ryou's entire body grew hot. "I'm—I'm so sorry. You looked like someone who—"

"Malik." The man was still on his hands and knees, as if he were afraid to stand, but he looked at Ryou as he spoke. "Um...my name's Kek now, but Keku is fine if you can't pronounce it."

"You _are him_." Ryou's hands balled into fists, ready to fight.

"I didn't know it was you, or I would have turned the assignment down." He bowed his head to the floor. "I'm sorry. I'll call the office and have them send one of the other—"

"Wait—so you? You actually work for Soineya? How? Why? Aren't you? Don't you…"

"Kill people?" Kek knelt on the floor, expression miserable. "Yeah, I did. But... it's a long story."

"Well...we have two hours." Ryou gave him an apologetic smile.

"Don't you want someone better for your appointment?"

"If you're not here to hurt Yugi or the others then I have no quarrel with you," Ryou said. "Um, sorry for throwing that statue at you."

"It's understandable." He shrugged. "Malik did worse when he saw me."

"Are you okay?"

"It healed." Kek stood. "Got a dustpan?"

"A…"

"To clean up the mess."

"Oh, I'll get it!" Ryou ran to the broom closet and grabbed his broom and dustpan.

After cleaning the mess and texting his landlord about the 'accident' he had with the drywall, he found Kek in the kitchen brewing tea.

"Is it okay?" Kek asked. "Figured it might help the conversation."

"Yes. Thank you." Ryou nodded at the kettle.

"You can go sit down. I'll bring it."

"O-okay. I'll just...I'll...be in the living room," Ryou stuttered, shocked.

He wrapped the throw around his shoulders, more for protection than the nice cuddle he'd planned when calling Soineya. Despite Kek not being who he imagined at the door, he was too curious to send him away. Kek appeared and poured Ryou a cup of tea before fixing his own.

"You probably want to know how I returned. It was Malik's fault. He was toying with magic—I think he wanted to find the Ring Spirit in the Shadow Realm, but pulled me out instead."

"Makes sense." Ryou sighed. "So the Spirit's probably back too, huh?"

"Probably. My other half isn't one to give up."

"What happened? After he brought you back?" Ryou asked, not wanting to think about his own counterpart returning.

Kek unbuttoned the collar of his shirt, exposing enough of his chest for Ryou to see the scars. The thickest, deepest gash ran along his collarbone below his neck, as if Malik tried cutting Kek's throat, but missed. There were other stab scars dotting Kek's chest. Ryou reached up, squeezing his own arm.

"How awful. I'm so sorry."

"I was weak from the Shadows and no longer had the Rod. I managed to escape out Malik's bedroom window and I ran until I passed out, waking up in a hospital. I lied and said I couldn't remember who I was. They assumed I was mugged and I let them think it. After that…" Kek winced. "You can probably guess. I had no family, and nowhere to go, and didn't know much more than violence, so I got into crime but…"

The tea cup rattled on its saucer. Kek set it down, knotting his hands together and placing them in his lap. Ryou touched his forearm.

"Kek? You're shaking. Are you all right?"

"I didn't mind killing, and I won't lie—it was entertaining to do it for money—but...they did worse things than murder. Much, much worse. Worse than torture, worse than—I don't want to talk about it."

"It's okay." Ryou scooted closer, patting his arm. "Skip ahead."

"I took the money I had saved and used the connections I'd made to acquire fake paperwork so I could travel. I took odd jobs where I could. Mugged people when I couldn't find work. I wasn't going anywhere specific, and didn't care how I lived as long as I survived." He buttoned his shirt to hide his scars again. "But as I travelled, people helped me. They fed me and gave me work or money. They treated me like a person, and it changed me. It...I couldn't hurt people anymore because I didn't know who was like Malik's father and who was like the people who helped me. Instead of stealing, I entered Duel Monsters tournaments. I won enough to feed and shelter myself, and I travelled from tournament to tournament. Ending up in Japan was an accident, if you believe in accidents. Isis would have called it fate."

"Your story is amazing."

"Doesn't feel amazing. Feels like a bruise right here." Kek pushed his palm against his chest. He looked away. "Even after I learned how to support myself and behave around people, I was still lonely. Something hurt inside me and I didn't know how to fix it. Then a duelist friend of mine suggested I apply at Soineya where he works. I'm a pretty foreigner, so he thought I might be able to make a lot of money cuddling." His face grew russet. "I've only worked for Soineya for a few weeks, but I enjoy the work."

"Well, we still have about an hour left." Ryou stared into his lap. He laughed, trying to break the tension in the air. "And I did pay a good amount for this nap, so I might as well take it."

"Sorry, I was talking too much." The darkened hue stayed plastered on Kek's cheeks. "I've never been able to explain the whole story to anyone before. Guess I got carried away."

"I enjoyed it!" Ryou grabbed Kek's hands. "It's fascinating how much you've changed from the stories I've heard from the others to now. I hope you have a successful and happy life."

"Thanks."

"Um...so how do we...can we just lay on the sofa together?"

"Yes." Kek unfolded the blanket from Ryou and pulled him close.

They lay spooned together, Kek behind Ryou. He spread the downy blanket over them and wrapped his arm around Ryou's waist. He pressed his forehead between Ryou's shoulder blades. Ryou sighed, relaxing the moment they settled in place. His eyes fluttered close, he felt safe and cozy in Kek's embrace.

"Any sort of specific types of cuddling you'd like? I could pet your hair, or rub your shoulders, hold you a little more tightly—"

"The last one." Ryou sighed, face hot at the thought of cuddling options. "A bear hug sounds great.

His breath hitched as Kek crushed Ryou to his chest. Ryou closed his eyes again, sighing at the wonderful pressure surrounding him.

"Too tight?"

"No, perfect."

"Okay."

The silence settled around them, as comforting as the blanket resting on top of them. Kek kept a strong grip on Ryou, but as they dozed, it gradually loosened, tight, but no longer crushing. Too soon an alarm buzzed, jerking Ryou awake.

"Already?" Ryou rubbed his eyes, yawning.

"Sorry," Kek muttered as he silenced his phone. "It's been two hours, so I need to go."

"Of course." Ryou sat up so Kek could stand.

"Thank you for the tea." Kek bowed.

"Thank you as well." Ryou bowed in returned.

"For not murdering you?" Kek grinned.

"Of course!" Ryou smiled. Blushing, he scratched his arm and stared at his empty tea cup. "Actually, I haven't slept that well since I was little. Um, wh-what if I wanted to make another appointment? Do I ask for you when I call, or…?"

"There's a catalogue online. You can pick any number of models—"

"I'd like you again, please," Ryou said without hesitation. "Unless you don't want to. I'd understand, but It's nice, you know? Having someone who remembers—" Ryou gestured with his hands, trying to express _the clusterfuck of Battle City and Item use in general_ without saying the term clusterfuck.

"I know what you mean." Kek grinned. "I feel crazy whenever I think about it. Having someone else to talk to reminds me it was all real and not a hallucination."

"Exactly. Exactly. I mean, I'm lucky, I have Yugi, but it's not the same because—"

"He got along with the Pharaoh."

"Yes. You do understand." Ryou brushed his hair out of his face. "This is more of a relief than I realized it would be."

"Right? It was good talking...really good, I—" Kek glanced at his phone. "Dammit. Sorry. I have to go, but my full name is Kek Daher if you ever want to request me."

"Daher?"

"I let the guy who forged my paperwork to pick out a name." Kek laughed.

"Your name is beautiful."

"Thanks." Kek blushed, waving as he left.

Ryou shut and locked the door behind him. The first thing he did was call the agency and scheduled a four hour block with Kek for Friday. The second thing he did was sit in front of his laptop and open Skype. Malik was in one of Yugi's group chats they often used to talk about games and at one point they'd all added each other as individual friends, though Ryou had never spoken to Malik alone before.

He hit the button for a video call.

"Hello?" Malik's face appeared on the screen after several rings. He rubbed his eyes. They didn't have kohl around them and the soft lighting in the background suggested it was night and Malik had been sleeping. "Ryou? Is everything okay?"

"I'm sorry, it's probably late in Egypt, but I need to speak to Bakura please."

"Um...Bakura?"

"Malik, I do not want to play games. I ran into a familiar face today—yours—and he explained he returned from the Shadow Realm by accident while you were trying to summon Bakura."

"My—you met my darker half? Are you okay? Is Yugi okay? You need to call the cops before he—"

"Malik, stop it. He's not who I'm interested in. Let me see Bakura." Ryou frowned.

"But—"

"Please, Malik."

Ryou heard muttered talking in the background. Malik threw his hands into the air and stormed away from the computer as another body slid into his seat. Ryou started. He'd seen the Thief King's image as he'd crafted it for the RPG, but seeing the living version was a shock.

"What's up, _yadonushi_?"

Ryou froze. He'd wanted to see if it was true, and it was, but he didn't know what to say with Bakura sitting on the other side of the computer screen.

"Asshole," Ryou whispered. The word felt odd and heavy in his mouth. Ryou avoided profanity when he could. He thought about Kek's story and stared at Bakura. "Are you trying to be a real person now? Are you finally done hurting everyone around you?"

"Uh, the fuck?"

"For once in your awful life tell me the truth." Ryou shut his eyes. "Are you and Malik up to some new scheme, or was he helping you as a friend? You were both awful, but I know you two also bonded in Battle City. I could feel it."

"What difference does it make?"

"It makes a difference to me." Ryou opened his eyes; they burned. Ryou blinked and tears trickled down his cheek. "I know it's not the same. We're not the same the way Malik and Kek were—"

"Kek?"

"Malik's other half. He's been through a lot, but he's changed, and…" Ryou shook his head, not sure what he was trying to prove, or even what he wanted from Bakura. "I guess I was hoping you'd changed too. This was a mistake. I'm sorry I called."

Ryou reached for his mouse, scrolling over the end call button. Bakura's soft growl caused Ryou to pause. He shot a final glance at Bakura's image through the computer screen. Bakura flung himself back in Malik's chair. He stared at the ceiling to avoid the camera.

"Look, I'm not out there rescuing orphans or trying to right the wrongs of the world—though considering how trying to right wrongs was how I _got_ into the Ring to begin with, it's probably better I'm retired now."

"Retired?"

"Sounds better than reformed. Don't really feel reformed; don't really feel like I did anything wrong—"

_You tried to destroy the world you fucking idiot!_ Malik's voice butted into their conversation from off—screen. Bakura shrugged, waving Malik's reply away.

"Point is, I'm not repenting or anything, but…" He glanced to the side, but Ryou knew he was looking at Malik. "I'm not after the Items anymore either, all right? Is that good enough for you?"

"Yes." Ryou smiled wiping at his face. "Thank you."

"What the hell are you doing getting all friendly with Malik's other half anyway?" Bakura frowned.

"Why do you have hickies on your neck?" Ryou waved goodbye and ended the call and shut his computer so Bakura couldn't call him back to get the last word in their conversation.

He exhaled, sinking into his chair. A weight he didn't know he'd been carrying disappeared from his chest. Knowing his own other half wasn't trapped in the Shadows forever, knowing the former thief was living with Malik and trying to rediscover love and humanity, filled Ryou with bright, vibrant relief.

"I hope you're both happy together," Ryou whispered at the closed laptop.

Refreshed from his nap and cheerful after his conversation with Bakura, Ryou decided to catch up on some of his backlog of commissions.

The alarm blared. Kek smashed his pointer finger against his phone screen to shut it up. The girl beside him hummed, stretching and yawning as she woke.

"Has it been two hours already?" She rubbed her eyes.

"Yeah, sorry." Kek stood and bowed.

He only had a few clients so far, but his next appointment was scheduled only 45 mins after his current one, so he didn't want to linger. He said his goodbyes to the girl and excused himself, taking the bus to the next address. He looked up the name again. He was still terrible at remembering the clients' names. Kek blushed when he saw it was Ryou Bakura. He should have remembered the address from the week before.

Kek never thought he'd love anything more than the fear he saw gleaming in his victim's eyes as his knife tore into the soft, tender sections of their bodies. He thought he'd never hear anything as beautiful as the sound of a dying breath. But he was wrong. Disgustingly wrong.

He loved when clients rested their heads on his shoulder, or hugged him goodbye. He loved having his scalp scratched and his hair toyed with as they fussed over his yellow hair. The quiet sound of a heartbeat as he lay next to a client during a nap was infinitely—_infinitely_—better than any death moans. He'd been horribly wrong because he never knew anything other than rage, pain, and death, and now he felt the way Malik has the first time he'd emerged from the tombs to see the sunlight. There was sunlight inside of people, and Kek loved how warm it made him.

But for some reason he had enjoyed his two hours with Ryou more than any other client. Kek mulled it over as he rode the elevator to Ryou's apartment. He thought it was partly due to how Ryou knew his past, all of it, yet still accepted Kek. Most his clients only saw him as a pretty face there for company, pleasant, but not particularly intimate. Yet, despite knowing who Kek was, what he'd done, he'd not only allowed Kek to hold him, but requested Kek return—for a double long appointment.

Kek reminded himself he couldn't get _too_ attached to his clients. Becoming friends with his regulars was a unavoidable consequence of the job, but at the end of the day, his job required he stayed professional.

"Hello Kek." Ryou greeted as Kek stepped into the apartment.

"You're the only person I know who says my name correctly." Kek's heart fluttered when he'd heard Ryou speak and saw the smile on Ryou's face.

"I traveled a lot as a child, so I heard a lot of languages and learned a lot of non-japanese names." Ryou shrugged. "Have you eaten?"

Kek shook his head. He hadn't had time between appointments.

"I cooked dinner. Would you like to eat with me? Tofu curry."

"Is it spicy?" Kek licked his lips at the thought.

"Yes. Is that okay? I can make something else."

"Spicy food is my favorite."

"I'm relieved. It'd be a shame to eat this all myself."

"Smells good." Kek inhaled the moment he stepped into the kitchen.

He poured the tea as Ryou set the table with their meal. They ate in silence for a moment, Kek sighing through his nose because the food was delicious. He always loved the way his lips burned after a spicy meal.

"I can never get over how good home-cooked meals taste."

"I know, right? My mom used to cook all the time." Ryou sighed.

"Did she teach you how to cook?"

"I taught myself." Ryou toyed with a cube of spicy tofu.

"I'm sorry."

"It happened when I was little. Don't remember her too much."

"I never met, well you know." He looked around the kitchen. "We get on the worst topics."

"We do, don't we? I suppose it's good to get them out of the way." Ryou took a sip from his teacup.

"So what do you do?" Kek changed the subject.

"I make custom figurines for games, mostly tabletop RPGs. Sometimes I draw for extra money, and I get a stipend from the museum because of my father."

"Oh? Is yours alive?"

"As far as I know. He hasn't called in a few months, but that's normal when he's on a dig."

Kek grunted. They were veering into bad conversation territory again. "You mentioned tabletop RPGs? Are they fun?"

"They're my favorite. Duel monsters is okay, but an RPG allows you to tell an entire story while interacting with the story's world."

"Sounds fun." Kek nodded.

"You should play sometime. I'd offer for you to come over, but I guess you can't hang out with clients on your off-hours, can you?"

"It's discouraged," Kek said, reluctant to admit it since hanging out with Ryou without a timer sounded fun. "I don't think I'd get fired though."

"I don't know if it's worth the risk." Ryou frowned. "I'd feel awful if you lost your job because of me."

"Yeah, who would I cuddle without clients?" Kek teased.

"Probably anyone you wanted to. I imagine you're in no short supply of men and women who'd love to date you."

"I dated a few people." Kek stared at the table. "But…"

"Not compatible?" Ryou asked.

"Guess you could put it that way. What about you? There's no way you don't have people interested in you."

"I do." Ryou stabbed his food with his spoon. "Too interested. No one's content with cuddling. They all want—"

"To cram their tongues down your throat?" Kek asked.

Ryou blushed. "I was going to say a more physical relationship, but you're right. Ugh, why do people think suffocating you is a good way to kiss?"

"Or biting? What's with the biting? Someone bit my neck and I almost attacked them on reflex."

"Ouch. Yeah. I can't see how rough foreplay would trigger your fight instincts."

"It's hard. I'm only now learning normal, nice emotions and how to live with people. I'd like someone special—someone I could hold, and kiss, and go on dates with." Kek winced. "But everyone sees my biceps and try to jump into my pants—and duelists are the worst."

"I know! What's up with that? I mean, I don't have huge biceps like you do, but I have the same problem." Ryou sighed. "It's the reason I decided to try Soineya. Go straight for the good parts without having to navigate the constant awkwardness of dating people who move way _way_ too fast for me."

"Yeah, that's one of the appeals of the job. Cuddling and nothing more. Hmmm… what kind of movies do you like?" Kek asked.

"Horror." Ryou grinned.

"Me too. Want to watch something? Or would you rather nap?"

"You never have to ask—I always want to watch a horror movie." Ryou laughed as he gathered up their dishes.

"What other stuff do you like to do?" Kek watched Ryou load up the dishwasher.

"The usual stuff, I guess. Go bowling, go to the beach, amusement parks, arcades. What about you?"

"Haven't done much yet." Kek fidgeted with his napkin still sitting on the table.

"We could go to the arcade—um, nevermind. I keep forgetting you're here because of work." Ryou sighed.

"Yeah…" Kek agreed.

Ryou had his couch set up same as the week before. He popped into an old slasher movie and lay his head on Kek's lap. Kek combed his fingers through Ryou's hair. The action soothed him, lulling him into almost a trance. They both jerked reflexively during a jump scare and laughed at each other.

"I get so angry at jump scares. They're never frightening, but loud noises—I can't help it."

"I'm too used to being shot at, so everytime I hear a bang I want to drop to the floor or take cover."

"Wow, was that from Egypt after you first came back?"

"Sorry, probably not appropriate."

"True, it's not exactly work appropriate, but I won't tell if you won't." Ryou turned enough to flash Kek a smile. "Besides, getting shot at is no worse than some of the trouble Yugi gets into some times."

"Still?"

"Well, not so much these days, but I've heard some wild stories from before I moved to Domino. Did you know that Kaiba invented an entire wing of his theme park just to kill Yugi?"

"You think with all that money he could afford a knife." Kek snorted.

"No offense to any of you, but you guys really should drop the elaborate traps and plans if you're going to kill people. They never work, you're like villains in a manga or something."

"I got more efficient when I was a hitman, but it's not exactly something I'm proud of." Kek sighed.

"Of course not. I'm so rude." Ryou began to sit up.

"It's okay. You don't have to move." Kek rested his hand on Ryou's shoulder.

"I feel like a jerk. I'm basically teasing you for not being a good enough killer while I lay in your lap, but it's not a joking matter at all, especially in such a casual way."

"But it's like that when you're a Millennium Item holder, right? You see so much, it jades you," Kek said.

"Yeah...yeah...I still don't want to be insensitive."

"Trust me, you're not." Kek bent down and kissed the crown of Ryou's head. He jerked up the moment he did it. "Oooops."

"It's okay. I didn't mind." Ryou's exposed cheek blushed as he lay in Kek's lap.

"We're not supposed to kiss."

"We'll pretend your lips slipped." Ryou grinned.

"You're such a rebel." Kek poked Ryou's side.

"Hey! That tickles." Ryou giggled, squirming in Kek's lap.

"Mild tickling is permitted…" Kek hummed as if in thought, then tickled Ryou a little more.

"You're making the movie less scary!"

"Am I?"

"Yes." Ryou flipped onto his back, gazing up at Kek.

"I could turn off all the lights and chase you around with a knife if you want more scary."

"Is that part of my package? This cuddling agency provides premium service."

"Only the best for our clients."

Ryou chuckled, toying with the calluses on Kek's hands. They smoothed their fingertips along their life and love lines, drawing spirals on each other's palms, brushing along each other's knuckles. Ryou smiled at the gentle attention, and his smile brought a grin to Kek's face. Kek brought Ryou's hand up to his lips, ever so slightly ghosting his lips across Ryou's wrist.

"Oooops, my lips slipped again."

"Oh no. You monster." Ryou's lips curled into a smile despite his best attempt to keep a straight face. "Better be careful, you might make my lips slip too."

"How terrible. We can't have that." Kek winked.

Ryou pressed his lips to Kek's knuckles, holding them a moment against his skin before releasing his hand, blushing, and turning again so he could focus on the movie. Kek's fingers drifted back to Ryou's hair. He ached a little inside and he pet the silky strands. In order to distract himself, he forced himself to finish the movie. When the credits rolled, he looked and saw Ryou curled up and sleeping in his lap. Kek smiled, bending to kiss Ryou's forehead.

Kek pulled Ryou to his chest and settled down beside him on the sofa. He'd taken one nap already, but he'd stayed up late the night before playing video games on his handheld, so it was easy to doze off for the last hour of his appointment with Ryou. Kek winced at his own alarm. He smashed the off option and crammed it back into his pocket, trying to recapture the serene moment the chiming ruined.

"It's 7:00 pm."

"Is it?" Kek asked as if he hadn't seen the time on his phone twenty seconds prior.

"I know you have to go."

"Yeah, weekends are busy, and I have an overnight at 8:00 pm."

"Is it weird sleeping in other people's beds?"

"No more weird than sleeping in a hotel," Kek said, refusing to release Ryou. "I have an overnight bag with sleeping clothes and toiletries, and I'll usually talk to the clients a bit, maybe rubbing their shoulders or holding their hands, and then we go to sleep. It's comforting."

"Sounds comforting. I'd feel weird laying next to a girl, though, especially if I didn't know her. Anzu and Mai are okay, but only because I know they're not attracted to me."

"Malik didn't like girls either, but I think they're cute. I guess I don't really mind who I lay beside as long as they're not attacking me."

"Kek." Ryou shifted so he could squeeze Kek. "I'm so sorry. You shouldn't have to have gone through so much pain."

"What about you? You've gone through as much as me." Kek fingers the scar on Ryou's shoulder.

"Item holders, yeah?" Ryou tried to smile.

"Secret club." He kissed Ryou's nose. "I wish I could stay, but…"

"I know." Ryou stood and helped Kek to his feet. "It, uh, I had a nice evening. Thank you."

Kek grabbed Ryou, smashing Ryou in his hold.

"I love when you do that." Ryou groaned in delight.

He wasn't sure when he'd get another chance, so he held on longer than he should have. But he couldn't hold onto Ryou forever. With a final kiss to the crown of Ryou's head, Kek ran off, hoping he could make it to his own apartment for his overnight bag without being late to his next appointment.

He arrived to her house with one minute to spare. She was a younger doctor with a lot of disposable income but no time for dating or marriage, so she often hired cuddlers for company. Her home was lovely, and her sheets smelled of jasmine. Kek drifted to sleep almost as soon as the light were off, but even as he curled up to the woman beside him, he couldn't help but replay his night with Ryou over in his mind.

Ryou paced, biting his lower lip. There was an overnight option for the cuddling service, but it was almost 80,000 yen. Ryou wasn't hurting for money, but that was a huge sum, especially since he'd already paid for the two-hour and four-hour appointments.

But it'd been two weeks since Ryou had seen Kek and he hadn't slept well the entire time. Ryou decided he wasn't meant to sleep alone. Spooning was the way the gods intended for humans to sleep. Ryou sighed. Perhaps buying a puppy would be more practical than paying someone 80k a night, but Ryou really did miss Kek.

"Don't be stupid, Ryou. You're a client, not his friend. He was only ever doing his job."

Ryou dropped to the couch, flipping through the channels but not focusing on any of the shows. His foot tapped on the carpet. Pitter, pitter, pitter—Ryou tossed the remote to the empty space beside him and grabbed his phone so he could schedule an appointment. _One more time_, he told himself, feeling like a deranged cuddle addict. They had a space open for that night, so Ryou reserved it and an hour later his doorbell rang. Ryou ran to answer it.

"I missed you!" Kek grabbed Ryou and spun him in the air.

"I missed you too." Ryou laughed as Kek twirled him.

"But, um, a night is a lot of money…" Kek set Ryou to the floor, scratching. "Do you make enough money with your art?"

"Not...really…" Ryou admitted, red with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry." Kek fidgeted with his fingers.

"I'm sorry. I know this is your job, and we're not really cuddle buddies…but I wanted to see you one last time."

"Ryou." Kek's jaw set and he dropped his hands to his side. "I'm sorry, but after tonight I'm going to have to drop you as a client."

"Y-you are? Did I offend you? I'm sorry, please forgive me. I didn't mean to be so forward." Ryou bowed low, forcing himself not to tear up.

"What? No! You didn't do anything wrong!" Kek wrapped his arms around Ryou, pressing their foreheads together. "But I can't ask you out for a date if you're my client, so—"

"So you would? Go out with me, I mean."

"You mentioned the arcade last time, and maybe you could teach me to play Monster World?" Kek grinned.

"Yes! I'd love to! Oh wow, I'm so excited!" Ryou bumped their noses together, squeezing Kek in his arms. "I'll cook something even spicier than last time! And dessert! Do you like dessert?"

"If you make me dessert, I might marry you." Kek winked.

"Don't make it so easy." Ryou laughed. "I might run into the kitchen right now and get to baking."

"I can't marry you on the clock. Tonight we can only cuddle. Next time you can feed me dessert." Kek carried Ryou to his bedroom.

They lay beneath the blankets. Ryou rested his head on Kek's chest and Kek ran his fingers through Ryou's hair.

"I don't sleep well alone," Ryou said.

"I don't either," Kek admitted.

"I was afraid you only saw me as a client."

"I'm fond of my clients, in a distant way." Kek stared at the ceiling as he spoke, fingers still carding through Ryou's hair. "But I can talk to you, and we have a lot in common, and somehow I have more fun when I'm with you than any of my other clients."

"I have fun when you're over as well." Ryou nuzzled against his chest.

"Good." Kek sighed.

"Should we change into pajamas?" Ryou teased Kek's shirt collar.

Kek nodded and he disappeared to get his overnight bag. Ryou slipped into his most comfortable pair of PJs and tucked himself beneath the blankets. Kek appeared in sweat pants and a tank top.

"You look really cute." Ryou blushed.

"Thanks." He fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, hesitating a moment before laying next to Ryou.

They gazed into each other's eyes, grinning. Kek's hand fumbled beneath the blanket until he found Ryou's hand. Interlacing their fingers, he ran this thumb along the sensitive curve between Ryou's thumb and pointer finger. They basked in the comfortable silence for a few minutes. Ryou blinked his eyes, over time each blink lasted a little longer until his eyes stayed shut.

"I like animals. Do you like animals?" Kek whispered.

"I was thinking about buying a puppy."

"Could I go with you to the park to walk her?"

"I'd have to actually pick a dog before we could walk her." Ryou smiled, opening his eyes. "But it would be fun to go on walks together."

"I would get one myself, but I'm gone two or three nights a week…" a pause. "Will you become jealous after we start dating?"

Ryou flipped on his back, trying to imagine what it'd be like knowing his boyfriend was cuddling with someone else overnight.

"I don't think I'll be jealous...but I'll miss you on the nights you're gone."

"What if you do get jealous?"

"I promise I'll tell you if I do, and we'll talk about it and work it out together."

"What will you tell your friends?"

"The truth...by degrees. I don't want to shock them too badly." Ryou reached out for Kek, lacing their fingers together.

"What if I want to kiss you? Next time I see you when I'm off the clock?"

"You can kiss me."

"Okay." Kek smiled, running his finger up Ryou's cheek bone. "Because I want to, badly."

"My heart is racing." Ryou giggled. "I've never been this excited being with someone before."

Kek rolled onto his side, pressing his ear against Ryou's chest. "It is. I can hear it... it's a lovely sound."

He lifted his head and pressed his lips against Ryou's chest—over his heart. Ryou gasped; the action did nothing to calm Ryou's pulse. Ryou meandered to Kek's arms, warm and solid beneath Ryou. He fell asleep caressing Kek's biceps.

* * *

Kek awoke the next morning with a sleepy groan. Warmth and comfort surrounded him. He never tired of waking with a head using his chest as a pillow, but Ryou heightened the experience. The faint scent of Ryou's shampoo, the way his body fit perfectly against Kek's, Kek blinked his eyes opened. He gasped at the sight of white hair, the night before refreshing itself in his memories.

"Good morning," Ryou cooed, nuzzling against Kek's chest.

"Morning." He stroked Ryou's hair.

"What time do you have to leave?" Ryou asked.

"Usually by 10am, but if you let me borrow your washer I can wash my things and stay until noon."

"Okay. Why don't you start while I make breakfast?" Ryou pressed a quick kiss to Kek's temple before disappearing.

Kek sighed, resting in bed a moment longer before he gathered his things. He looked around the room, noticing several figures on shelves. Bits of horror colored Ryou's decorations, a skeleton here, a shadowing painting hanging on the wall, an Earl of Demise plushie on top of his dresser, the more Kek looked around, the bigger his smile grew. Knowing he couldn't put off waking forever, Kek pushed himself out of bed, gathered his things, and found Ryou's washer hidden in a closet in his bathroom. He started a load and slipped into the shower, borrowing Ryou's shampoo. Once he was clean, he entered the kitchen, closing his eyes and inhaling the mixed scents of fresh brewed coffee and french toast.

"It's no dessert, but it's plenty sweet."

"If I needed something sweet, I could gobble you up for breakfast instead." Kek rushed across the kitchen, lifting Ryou into his arms and nibbling against the top shell of Ryou's ear.

Ryou giggled and kicked with his feet while gripping his arms tightly around Kek's neck. He set Ryou onto his feet again. The air grew tense and time slowed down as Ryou looked into Kek's gaze. Kek's eyes shut, and before he could reason out his actions, he leaned forward and found Ryou's lips. The kiss lingered for a long twenty seconds before they both eased away from each other.

"Will you get into trouble?" Ryou whispered.

"I won't tell my boss if you don't." Kek grinned, bumping their noses together. "Besides, we already agreed to end our client/worker relationship."

"Oh no, breakfast!" Ryou rushed back to his skillet, placing the last two slices of french toast on a plate before turning off the heat.

"What are you going to do today?" Kek asked as they sat to eat.

His job assimilated him to the societal need for small talk. He always asked the clients about their days, hobbies, jobs, but his questions to Ryou weren't mere reflex. He wanted to unwrap Ryou's soul like a present, peeling away each colorful scrap of decoration and discovering the real gift inside.

"I'd like to say work, but honestly, I'm so excited about us playing Monster World together, I'm sure I'll be up all night tonight writing the perfect campaign for us. Hope you're in the mood for some horror." Ryou's face lit up as he used his hands to accentuate his words.

"Of course I am." Kek grinned, trying to eat, but his stomach was twisted into a spiral. "Want me to bring anything the next time I come over? Take out, or—"

"I'll cook. What's your favorite food?"

"Besides dessert?" Kek laughed.

"That's a given!"

"Anything spicy. Finger foods. Dolma is good. Anything I can dip pita bread into. Anything with cheese. I never had cheese until after I was in my own body."

"Okay, I'll make us a dinner platter and something nice for dessert."

"I'm off Monday," Kek said. "And I don't have anything scheduled Sunday night after 6pm."

"Is that when you want to come over?" Ryou blushed.

"If it's a good time for you." Kek toyed with his fork.

"Anytime is a good time to see you."

A buzz echoed into the kitchen. Kek stood, glad to have an excuse to leave his french toast behind for a moment as he tried to calm his nerves.

"I better put them into the dryer."

Kek ran off before Ryou could offer to do it for him. After shoving his clothes in the dryer he rinsed his burning face with cold water. Kek buried himself in Ryou's towel, smelling the fabric softener and using the scent to ground himself. Nothing had ever made him nervous before. Alert. Wary. Anxious. He knew those emotions, but sitting next to Ryou, thinking about a real date, set electricity coursing through his nerves. Inhaling, Kek returned to the kitchen before Ryou started to worry. Ryou sat at the kitchen table, twisting a paper napkin in his hands.

"You didn't eat much," Ryou said.

"It's delicious. I promise." Kek held his stomach. "I think I'm too excited to be hungry."

"Oh." Ryou sighed in relief. "I'm glad I'm not the only one. Want me to put it in a container so you can eat it later?"

Kek nodded. He noticed Ryou's plate was as full as his own. He packed his food in his bag and sat on the sofa with Ryou pressed beside him. Ryou showed him a small binder.

"I use my laptop for everything now, but this has some old printouts of character sheets and basic info like the job classes if you want to flip through it."

"Okay." Kek took the binder and opened it up.

"Skip whatever's boring. I just thought you might want to make your character before we start playing."

"Any suggestions."

"Diabolist lets you summon awful things." Ryou smiled.

"Sounds fun." Kek licked his lips, skimming through the other job classes.

He lost himself in his character sheet, honestly enjoying the thought he had to put into each detail about his character. Ryou grabbed his laptop to outline the campaign. They worked in silence for the most part, only talking from time to time.

"What should I pick for my last perk?"

"Perhaps weapon proficiency in maces. If your spells don't work you can always bludgeon things to death."

"I love the way you think." Kek snickered as he checked the box. After another stretch of silence, Ryou murmured from his computer.

"This is meant to be played in a group. Four or five would make a better game, but everyone's always on about Duel Monsters."

"Yeah. Maybe we can find some other people to play with?"

"Won't hurt to try. In the meantime, I'm modifying some things to make the game flow better with just you. I can always toss in one of my standby npc characters to help you if we need to balance things out."

"The more we talk, the more I want to play." Kek bumped Ryou with his shoulder, noticing the time on Ryou's laptop as he did so. "Ugh, the time. I swear seconds go by faster in your apartment."

"Only when you're here, so it's your fault." Ryou poked Kek's ribs.

"Dammit, my laundry." Kek rushed into the bathroom, pulling out his clothes and folded them into his bag along with the notebook Ryou lent him.

He slung the bag over his shoulder and made his way to the door. He stopped, staring at Ryou. His chest hurt, a deep longing to stay gnawed at him. Ryou walked up to him, fidgeting.

"So...guess you have to go now," Ryou muttered.

"Yeah." Kek slipped into his shoes but lingered at the door. "I had fun, as always."

"I can't wait to see you Sunday," Ryou said.

"I'll text you to let you know when I'm on my way…" a pause. "Can I text you tonight?"

"You can text me as much as you want." Ryou blushed.

"Don't say that. Your phone won't stop beeping." Kek stepped closer.

"I'll reply to every single message." Ryou took three steps closer until they shared personal space.

"I'll miss you." Kek brushed Ryou's hair behind his ear and held his cheek.

"I think I already miss you." Ryou gazed up at him.

"Funny, how that's even possible, but I know what you mean because I already miss you as well."

Ryou slipped his arms around Kek's waist. Their bodies pressed together. It began as a hug with their cheeks brushing against each other, but somehow they shifted. Their lips caught, and Kek moaned as Ryou dragged kisses along Kek's mouth.

"I have to go, or I won't be able to leave." Kek pushed a final kiss against Ryou's lips and ran out the door.

He ate the french toast before he went to his next client appointment. It was so good it almost hurt to eat. It made him miss Ryou all the more.

* * *

Ryou raced around his apartment, tidying up. He didn't need to tidy up, but his nerves demanded he stay busy with _something_. Kek messaged _omw _ten minutes ago, and dinner was ready, so there was nothing for Ryou to do except fluff the pillows on the sofa and add another throw to their cuddle nest on the couch. It was their third date. Pre-date jitters shouldn't be eating his stomach as much as they were, but an entire three-ring circus danced in Ryou's belly. The more time he spent with Kek, the more time he wanted to spend with Kek. For their first date, they played Monster World for hours, breaking to go to the arcade and stretch their legs only to return to Ryou's apartment and lose themselves in the game for another three hours. Their second date was similar except they found an ice cream stand on the way home from the arcade. Kek spent half his nights at client's houses, but they texted each other goodmorning and goodnight every day and sent texts throughout the day as well.

Today they were going to the pet store.

Ryou bounced around the house, repressing the urge to scream. He was about to hold Kek in his arms, and then they were going to find a puppy.

The doorbell rang and Ryou dashed to let Kek into the apartment. Their arms locked together as soon as they came in reach of each other. Kek held Ryou's face, kissing his cheeks and forehead. Ryou snatched a quick kiss from Kek's lips before Kek kicked off his shoes, lifted Ryou in his arms, and carried Ryou toward the couch. They crashed amongst the blankets and pillows, giggling and brushing their noses together. When they were both breathless, Kek pressed his forehead against Ryou's.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too." Ryou dotted Kek's nose and cheeks with light kisses.

"What kind of puppy are we looking for?"

"The friendliest one," Ryou said. "I don't care what breed. Whichever one jumps into my arms first comes home with me."

"I think I was the first mutt to jump into your arms today, so I get to stay too, right?"

"I'm never letting go." Ryou punctuated his statement by wrapping both his arms and legs around Kek's body to show Kek was trapped.

Kek giggled. His face turned bright red and tears welled up into his eyes. Ryou laughed with him, pulling away a single hand only to brush a stray tear away from Kek's cheek.

"Happy?" Ryou asked, confident the tears were joyous but wanting to make sure.

"Yeah." He nodded before running kisses up Ryou's neck.

"I'm so happy I found you," Ryou whispered as his fingers combed Kek's hair.

Kek buried his face against Ryou's chest and squealed. The vibrations tickled and Ryou laughed up to the ceiling. When Kek peeked at Ryou again, Ryou held his cheek so their lips could brush against each other. Ryou opened his mouth, an _I love you_ on the tip of his tongue. His cheeks flared as he snapped his lips shut. _Too soon_. People didn't fall in love after a few weeks, Ryou told himself. He told himself over and over again in an attempt to convince himself it was true—it wasn't working.

"There's a pet store two blocks from here," Ryou said instead.

"Okay, let's go." Kek rolled to his feet and helped Ryou stand.

Hand in hand, they walked to the petstore—arms swinging as they chatted about whatever topics came to mind. Inside, they saw a shelf full of betas. The coral, crimson, sapphire, teal, and bright blue mottled colors flashed in their shallow dishes. Chirping to their right caught their attention. Cages full of love birds and parakeets hung from hooks. Kek stared at the birds with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Do you like them?"

"I want to open their cages," Kek said. "The fish too."

"Yeah." Ryou tugged Kek toward the back where the puppy and kitten kennels sat. "Come on. Let's see who we do get to rescue today."

"Does that mean we can rescue the rest some other day?" Kek grinned.

"Well, the cockatoos _do_ look a bit like you. Maybe we should get you one." Ryou giggled.

Kek pushed on his hair so it mimicked the feathered crest of a cockatoo. They both laughed, but a excited yipping interrupted them. Several fluffy balls jumped, trying to reach them.

"Oh gods, how am I suppose to choose?"

"Adopt them all," Kek whispered.

"I wish!" Ryou bent forward so he could pet their heads and let them lick at his fingers.

"Do it." Kek reached into the puppy pen as well.

"Seriously, stop tempting me." Ryou nudged Kek with his elbow.

A single yip rose above the others and a white ball of fluff launched itself at Ryou's hands.

"Oh!"

Ryou caught the little spitz puppy in both hands, pulling her out of the pen and into his arms.

"A little more literal than I thought, but this works." Kek put his hand out for the puppy to sniff. "You said you wanted the one who jumped into your arms."

She nipped at Kek's finger and licked his hand afterward. Then she tried to clamber up Ryou's chest to lick his face.

"She's perfect." Ryou lifted her higher so she could reach Ryou's cheeks. "Let's get supplies for her."

The gathered up food, dishes, a collar, leash, puppy pads, toys and flea bath before checking out and signing adoption papers for the dog. Kek carried the bags and allowed Ryou to arrange the collar and leash so they could walk the puppy home.

"What will you name her?"

"I don't know yet." Ryou paused as the little spitz puppy sniffed a dandelion growing out of the sidewalk. "I'll make a vet appointment tomorrow for her. Guess I'll need a name by then, so if you think of anything let me know."

"So, we have a puppy. What else is on our to-do list for the evening?"

"Dinner's ready. I'll heat it up when we get home. I didn't really plan anything else. I was too excited about adopting a puppy."

"What about a movie marathon? That way we won't get too distracted if the puppy needs attention."

"That's a great idea. Oh I know!" Ryou scooped the puppy up into his arms and spun her. "I'll name her Tomie! I love that horror movie."

"I've never seen it." Kek shook his head.

"Then it'll be the first movie in our marathon." Ryou kissed Tomie's head and set her back down.

She ran around their feet and continued down the sidewalk with them. When they were back inside, Ryou fed Tomie and then heated up dinner for himself and Kek. They chatted through dinner and washed the dishes together. Afterward, they took Tomie downstairs and walked her around the block so she could use the bathroom, giving her cheers and affection when she went. After she was walked, they cuddled within their nest and the puppy between them and started watching movies.

Ryou rested his head on Kek's shoulders. His left hand stroked Tomie's soft fur. She grew bored and jumped off the sofa to explore the house. Ryou let her go, and Kek wrapped his arm around Ryou so they could sit a little closer together. Ryou teased the leg of Kek's pajamas.

"The nights you visit are my favorite."

"I'm on call Wednesday, but I have no appointments after 7pm...if you wanted—"

"I'd be happy if you came over." Ryou kissed Kek's shoulder.

"I'm going to need to start bringing shampoo. I keep stealing yours." Kek chuckled.

"I don't mind." Ryou's eyes watched the movie in front of him, but his mind drifted to thoughts of Kek staying the night. "I know it seems early, but...I could clean out a drawer for you? If you wanted to keep some things over here for convenience."

"You wouldn't mind?" Kek asked.

"If it means you stay over more—I'll be happy to give you a little closet space."

Kek grabbed Ryou, hugging him tightly As they embraced, they brushed their noses together. Ryou ghosted his lips across Kek's cheeks. Slowly, slowly...slowly, their mouths drew closer until their lips met. The kisses were so gentle they felt like sweet, sweet daydreams. A yip broke their kiss. They turned and Tomie was wagging her tail, holding a rope toy almost as big as she was in her mouth. Ryou and Kek laughed, and Kek reached down to play tug-o-war with the puppy.

After two more movies, they went to bed and swaddled themselves in the blankets. Tomie curled between their feet. Her small, warm presence comforted Ryou, so did Kek's fingers carding through Ryou's hair.

* * *

A week later and Kek was in the bathroom of a client's house brushing his teeth and getting ready for bed. He was starting to think of himself as a quilt, sewing little patches of affection from everyone he met together and creating something warm out of it. As he pondered the metaphor, he realized Ryou was the backing of the quilt—the single, solid piece which held everything together.

Memories haunted Kek. Malik's past, the Shadow Realm, his first years as a human before he'd learned kindness from strangers and murdered for money. Sometimes the scenes replayed in Kek's mind and he couldn't move, could barely breathe, as he was forced to relive the most horrible moments of his life, but he learned how to bring himself down from the flashbacks. Sitting in a quiet room with tea sometimes help (although sometimes he'd drift back into the memories). Dogs were great. A warm tongue against his hand, the smell of fur, those things always provided a solid sensory distraction which separated past from present and helped Kek settle into his body again.

The smell of Ryou's shampoo.

Nothing smelled of applies in the tombs, in the Shadows, in the dirty alleyways of Luxor. Even in his own hair, the faint scent of apple shampoo stolen from Ryou's bathroom helped Kek focus his thoughts.

He rinsed his mouth. The phone beeped beside him, a text from Ryou.

_I know you're at work, but I wanted to say we missed you_. _We're about to go to sleep._

Below the message a selfie of Ryou in striped pajamas holding Tomei.

Kek smiled, touching Ryou's face. He loved his job, loved meeting new people and laying next to them and learning about the lives others lived. Their dreams, their goals, sometimes their own tragedies, it always reminded Kek of how human he was after all. Despite Malik's insisting he was a monster, a mistake, he wasn't much different than any of his clients. But, no matter how much he loved his job, he missed Ryou on the nights he worked.

He held up his phone and toothbrush, sticking out his tongue and taking a ridiculous picture to send to Ryou.

_Also getting ready for bed. Miss you too!_ _Goodnight!_

Kek sighed. His fingers hovered over the keypad of his phone. He wanted to type more. He wanted to tell Ryou that he didn't just _miss_ him. He _ached_ without Ryou. His breath grew short with only the thought of Ryou. His heart hummed. The colors in the room grew brighter. He wanted to spend every free night he had with Ryou—for the rest of his life.

Ke wasn't so out of touch with society he didn't realize it was far too soon to feel so close to Ryou. People were supposed to fall in love over time, not after a single day together. It'd been more than a day since their first appointment together, but it was still too soon to feel…

The way he felt.

_Goodnight!_ Ryou texted again.

The way he'd felt since the first day he met Ryou.

_I love you_

Kek gasped when he saw the the last message. His breaths came out in quick puffs as he read it five times in a row. He blinked, refusing to tear up when he had to go back to work. He did, however, risk dialing Ryou's number and pressing the phone to his ear.

"Um-um, sorry—" Ryou's voice stuttered on the other end. "It was probably too soon. I shouldn't have—"

"I love you too!" Kek tried to whisper, but his voice was taut with emotion. "I wanted to say it out loud. I love you too, Ryou."

"Oh thank god. I was so afraid it was too soon."

"I don't know if it is, but it's how I feel," Kek said.

"It's how I feel as well." Ryou sighed. "I love you."

"I love you too. I-I have to go. Can I see you in the morning on my way home?"

"You can see me whatever you want to. Goodnight, Kek, I love you."

"I love you too." He giggled.

He jumped up and down on the bath mat with sock-clad feet, needing a way to vent the energy welling up inside him. He didn't know how he'd sleep. He was going to be thinking of Ryou all night long. Before he left the bathroom he grabbed the phone one last time, needing to type it in return as well as say it out loud.

_I love you!_

_I love you!_

_I love you!_


End file.
